Two-time Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee didn't just win in Dubai, he crushed the competition. The end of the day's second-fastest swim (22:35) was the last time he was in the front of the race as the Brit used the day's only sub-two hour bike split (1:58:51) and a frighteningly fast run split (1:09:34) to win by over six minutes.

It was Brownlee's first race back since hip surgery which sidelined him for the last part of 2017.

“It did go over smoothly," Brownlee said at the finish line.

You think?

"Didn’t feel great on the swim, had a couple of bad patches on the bike, but on the run I just felt great, I was in control and I actually really enjoyed the last 10-18K," he said. "I was just kind of soaking it in, enjoying the cheers. Obviously it’s so fantastic to be back after too much time spent at the gym the past six months.”

Sven Riederer and Rudi Wild battled for the runner-up spot, with Riederer running past Wild and Germany's Maurice Clavel to eventually take second. Wild put another Swiss athlete on the podium in taking third.